Most people can admit that they’ve been behind the wheel of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol at some point in their lives. Drunk driving is not new. What is new is being able to determine whether or not you should get into your car after a long night of drinking with a personal breathalyzer. With such a device at your disposal, you can say “goodbye” to DUIs and other related charges, right? Well, not so fast!

Before you find yourself having to get an SR-22 insurance quote to show the judge, and before you have to pay thousands of dollars in fine, possibly have hurt some innocent people, and spent a few nights in jail, think about it and when in doubt, ALWAYS CALL A TAXI!

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For those of you that want to see just how drunk (or sober) you are, here are a few of the most popular personal breathalyzers on the market and if they are worth your time.
AlcoHawk Pro

The AlcoHawk Pro is one of the slickest and most reliable breathalyzers that you can buy today. When you purchase the Pro, you get a lot of extras in the box. Everything from a battery and carrying case to reusable mouthpieces and a car charger are included in the kit. The device itself is sleek and good-looking. With a large display for easy reading, an ergonomic grip that fills the hand well, and a single power button on the unit, testing your own blood alcohol level has never been so intuitive.

Speaking of testing, all you have to do is power on the unit, wait 20 seconds, then blow hard for about five seconds. You’ll have your result a fraction of a minute later. This is all to be done 20 minutes after you’ve had your last drink. User reviews all point to the fact that this thing works very well. Many people have tested the AlcoHawk Pro on a number of individuals who purposefully consumed the same amount of booze. The results were almost always consistent between people.

The AlcoHawk Pro has a lot going for it and would serve well for personal use or even professional use. At a price point of $139.95, it’s a pretty good buy considering what you get for the money. The AlcoHawk Pro is highly recommended if you are looking for a high-quality piece that could save your life one day.
BACtrack Personal Breathalyzer

This personal breathalyzer is all you would need to avoid making a grave mistake. Small but comfortable to hold, the BACtrack features an LED screen with white lettering on a black background and a no-mouthpiece design. This model also includes a carrying case but leaves out the AA batteries. It’s a bit irritating to have to purchase extra batteries for any new electronic device.

As far as function goes, the BACtrack works well. Like many other breathalyzers, you switch it on, wait for a “beep,” then blow with force into the designated area. Since this thing doesn’t have a mouthpiece, it can be easily shared between a group of friends who have been drinking together without fear of pathogenic transmission. The BACtrack receives positive reviews from most users for its consistent readings. However, some have reported that readings sometimes seem too low after heavy drinking. This may be caused by taking the breathalyzer test too soon after consumption. While the manual lists a standard wait time of 20 minutes after drinking to take a test, the device might actually require a longer wait time of 30 minutes or more for an accurate reading.

Overall, the BACtrack personal breathalyzer gets the job done for about half the price of the AlcoHawk. This one is probably the better bang for your buck.

As you can see, two of the most popular personal breathalyzers on the market both received great reviews from users. While most manuals clearly state that these devices are not meant to be used for determining driving capability, it appears that personal breathalyzers can give you a pretty good idea of when to slow your roll. Pack one of these babies to stay safe the next time you’re out on the town.

Hiring a lawyer may seem daunting to some people, but it’s really no more daunting than hiring another professional like a building contractor or a family physician. What’s important about hiring a lawyer is to find one that specializes and has experience in the type of problem that the plaintiff or claimant has.

As with other professionals, the claimant will need to do a bit of legwork to find the right lawyer. This means he or she may need to interview three or four lawyers before the best one is found to handle his or her case. The claimant can get referrals from friends or coworkers who have had cases that are similar to the claimant’s. He or she can also get a referral from another lawyer. Lawyers tend to socialize with each other, even if they have different specialties.

Most lawyers don’t charge for the initial consultation, but the claimant should find out whether or not there is a charge for the first interview. The claimant should bring relevant evidence and other documentation to the consultation. This will help the lawyer figure out whether or not he or she wishes to represent the claimant. Some lawyers may not want to represent the claimant for a variety of reasons.

The claimant shouldn’t hesitate to ask the lawyer questions. These include:

• How long has he or she been practicing?
• Does the lawyer mostly represent plaintiffs or defendants? This is important to know in personal injury cases.
• Will the lawyer personally handle the claimant’s case or pass it on to another lawyer in the firm? If the case is going to be passed on to another lawyer, the claimant will need to speak with that lawyer as well.

The claimant should then discuss the goal of the case. If the claimant is looking for a monetary settlement, he or she might want a certain amount with as little stress as possible, a larger amount than what’s on offer in as little time as possible or as much money as possible with no time limit.

The claimant might think a first interview is too early to discuss lawyer’s fees, but it’s not. If the lawyer agrees to take the case, the arrangement should be in writing. One good tip is to set a limit on costs and for the claimant to approve any costs that go over the limit.

One error that some claimants make is to hire a large law firm over a smaller one. They believe that a large and notorious law firm will intimidate their adversary. This tactic is more than likely not to work, especially if the adversary is a corporation as opposed to an individual. Also, a small case often has a low priority in a big law firm and can often be neglected. Lawyers in prestigious law firms are also used to spending lots of money on expenses and costs and that money will come out of the claimant’s pocket.

On the other hand, a firm with only a handful of lawyers will most likely give an “ordinary” claimant more time and attention. It’s important that both the claimant and the lawyer are comfortable with each other.

Having to hire a lawyer might not be the most enjoyable of tasks, but a little planning and discernment can make the experience with a lawyer be much less stressful.

Consumers use a multitude of diverse products throughout their day, but rarely think about the transport industry that delivers these items to retail outlets where they are easy to obtain. Even less regarded, are the articles that require special treatment to bring them to the end-user. From delivering life-saving vaccines to clinics and hospitals to transporting live Christmas trees across many states, very dependable cold storage and transport is crucial. This is known as the cold chain, and it starts from the moment a product leaves the manufacturer to the moment that delivery is made to the end-user.

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/downloads/vac-storage.pdf, vaccines must be kept at the correct temperature while in transport and during storage to maintain their potency. This is critical, since entire populations could be at risk of disease if not for vaccines that work, as they should. Additionally, a large scientific community relies on cold chain management to handle its biomaterials storage and transportation issues. Cold chain providers may even supply storage after the products arrive at their destination.

Technology, in the cold chain family of industries, spans a wide range of products and services, and engineers continuously brainstorm for better designs, methods and cost-effective solutions. Thermodynamics play an important role for engineers who are responsible for designing new and improved refrigerants, insulated thermal containers and packaging methods. Where foods, pharmaceuticals, biomedical and life sciences are concerned, all cold chain processes must adhere to standard Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP,) as well as Good Transportation Practices (GTP,) both of which are under the jurisdiction of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA.)

Logistics could present a plethora of concerns, if not for the expertise of companies who play big roles in cold chain management. First, a plan is made that integrates the various handlers in a product’s transport, and then it is streamlined to be sure that cost-effectiveness is balanced with safety, lead-times and dependable service. In addition, most products call for their own unique system to manage their cold chain needs. A continually changing world, which welcomes new varieties of imported food products, calls for new cold transfer policies to be determined and implemented.

Specially designed refrigerants for packing offer the best thermal protection for the products they keep cold, and they are made to fit any product’s shipping configuration. Slim brick-shaped refrigerants have hermetic seals, are puncture-resistant and they stay cold the longest. Other refrigerant’s are made from phase change material that mimics the freezing and melting points of the products it protects. The results are size and weight reductions, which directly affects freight prices.

Certain products, such as bags of human blood for research or hospital emergency use, require auditable records of the blood’s temperature during its storage and transport. This is accomplished with industry temperature indicators and recorders, which comply with regulatory rules. Furthermore, freeze points and other thermal dynamics are adjustable to fit custom specifications for management of ultra-sensitive human and animal tissue, despite fluctuating outdoor temperatures.

Train: Now, this might seem obvious, but you must train your IT staff or others who will access the network. Remember, with one false move, a worker can cause a lot of irreversible damage to your systems.

Updates: Without a doubt, if you do not update your server and add patches, you will see problems in the future. Every year, thousands of computers and servers are infected by a virus because the user does not make simple updates. Luckily, whether you have a Windows or Linux server, you should not have problems making simple updates. When doing so, you will go a long way in protecting your computer and preventing issues.

Minimize software: While it is fun to use a lot of software, you should keep a minimal approach. Remember, when you have too many programs, you will have to deal with plenty of issues. Since one backdoor hacking incident can knock your server offline, you should only use software you truly need.

With these six tips, you can run your server and not worry about serious issues. Simply put, when you can protect your system against hackers and mischievous individuals, you will go a long way in saving time and money as one incident will cause serious issues.

While sitting around taping my glasses together and readjusting my pocket protector, I started thinking more intently about start-up businesses that geeks would be a perfect match for. Us geeks can only hide in our cubicles for so long, but at some point we have to launch our master plan to take over the corporate world. Who better to show the rest of those math-phobes and science-phobes out there how it is done? Come on, admit it, when you were a younger geek, you dreamed of the day when there would be Gary Numan style elevator music being piped into your very own office building. Well, the world may not be quite ready for that, but I’m sure we can come up with four start-up business ideas that simply must become a reality in the modern market.

4. Alien Skin Clothing Line:

How cool would it be to walk around wearing clothing that did weird alien like things. When you touch it, it feels reptilian-like and responds to touch in weird ways. Or, the eyes on some alien graphic actually light up and move around on a person’s alien skin wear shirt. Does anyone think that a flexible tail would look good on Alien Skin Trousers? Why is some geek not making this happen for us? This skin-like clothing could be formed from a type of rubber plastic composite that is very stretchy. Shirts with extra tentacles would be nice too.

3. Remote Controlled Animal Toys

Imagine sitting around the house with your kids playing with snakes, lizards, and other robotic animals that you can move about by remote control. What if these toys could interact and defend their territory from invaders? What if they were life sized and were capable of fast intricate movement? What if they could withstand the rugged outdoors too? What if you could take them to the office to use in practical jokes?

2. The Fast Food Arcade

A person should be able to sit down, enjoy a good meal, and play a video game at the same time. Restaurant booths with glass top tables that are really computer screens, which are easily cleaned in case you spill something like soda or catsup on it. Even multi-player games would be nice for the whole family, or just a couple of friends having lunch together. Multiple aps taking up different spots on the table would be nice too, then the little kids could digitally finger paint while the adults do something different in their portion of the screen table, like play a game of digital chess over dinner.

1. Variable Tinting Windshields:

It has always amazed me that no one has come up with a wind shield for the car, where you can change the color of the glass and the degree of the tinting, just by playing with some buttons on your dash board. For starters, it would look nicer than that peal and stick nonsense that starts to bubble and peal after a while. Plus, adjusting the tint to the visual needs one has at a particular time of day, when driving, would probably cut down on the number of accidents that occur on the road.

Honestly, there are so many great ideas not being capitalized on that would make the world a more fun and interesting place. And those who have genuine geekness could bring many of these items to market. Just in the realm of A. I. development alone, the number of new devices that could be brought to market is staggering. The market is simply waiting for geeks like us to make it happen.

Before you start law school, it’s a good idea to have a game plan. Between studying, moot court, law journals, and part-time jobs, it’s easy to let three years fly by without adequately planning for your future career. Taking time to research legal specialties now will give you an edge when planning courses and applying for clerkships. Here are 8 legal fields you may want to consider.

1. Tax law: The IRS code is well over 1,000 pages and growing. Individuals and businesses need expert legal advice to assist with tax planning and address taxation issues as they come up. Tax lawyers should be well-versed in the Internal Revenue Code, state and local tax codes, Tax Court decisions, and administrative rulings. Since tax issues intersect with many other aspects of the law, tax lawyers have opportunities to work on a variety of issues.

2. Education lawyers: Education lawyers work with school districts and parents to resolve issues at the federal, state, and district levels. Some education lawyers work as general counsel for school districts and provide general representation in all pertinent areas of education law. These lawyers may also be involved in the legislative process. Other education lawyers focus on special education law, or represent families in student discipline matters.

3. Family law: Family lawyers are always in high demand. A family lawyer works on issues involving family relationships, like adoption and divorce. Most family lawyers work in small firms or are solo practitioners.

4. Immigration law: Immigration to the United States is at all-time high. Most immigration lawyers work with families to secure and maintain legal status, or apply for citizenship. Some immigration attorneys may represent undocumented immigrants in deportation proceedings. Immigration law is a complex and growing area that can provide many opportunities for specialization.

5. Real estate law: Real Estate attorneys may concentrate on transactional work, or they may prefer to focus their energies on litigation. Real estate attorneys assist with all aspects of owning and transferring real property. This can include real estate transactions, land use and development, and landlord/tenant disputes.

6. Criminal law: Like family lawyers, criminal attorneys are always needed. Criminal lawyers can focus on prosecuting crimes, or they may choose to defend individuals who have been accused of a crime. Criminal attorneys are litigators and should expect to spend much of their time in court at various pre-trial hearings and trying cases before juries. Criminal defense attorneys may be employed by private firms, or they can provide defense to the indigent as Public Defenders.

7. Civil Rights law: Some of the greatest attorneys of the 20th century practiced in the area of civil rights law. If you have a passion for social justice and a strong understanding of constitutional law, this may be the right field for you. Civil rights attorneys primarily practice in non-profit law firms or work for the government.

8. Environmental law: This growing area needs lawyers who are passionate about the environment and possess the skills to navigate a complex and changing regulatory framework. Environmental law attorneys may focus on issues ranging from land use to toxic torts.

These are just a few of the many legal specializations available. Take some time to research potential legal fields before starting law school. If you know where you want to go, getting there is easy.

A DUI arrest is a serious legal matter that can have both immediate and long-lasting negative consequences. As a result of a DUI conviction, a person can lose his or her license, become incarcerated and have a permanent criminal record. For all of these reasons, it is important for a person with a DUI charge to choose the right criminal defense lawyer. There are a number of different things that a person should consider when choosing a DUI lawyer.

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Experience

Though all attorneys are legally allowed to defend a person charged with DUI, not all of them have the experience needed to present a proper defense. For example, an attorney who focuses on real estate transactions may not be well informed on the latest DUI related court decisions, the newest testing technology and proper field sobriety test procedures. This lack of experience could result in a client being wrongly convicted or being given a heavier sentence than normal.

Local Court Familiarity

Attorneys are licensed by state and can work anywhere with-in that state. However, having an attorney that is familiar with the judges and court system in a specific area is an asset to his or her clients. When choosing an attorney, a person should find one that has extensive experience working in the specific court where the charges will be heard as the attorney will likely be better able to negotiate a settlement or argue the case.

Ethics

Like anyone engaged in business, it shouldn’t be surprising if an attorney has a past client or two that is unhappy with their work as it simply isn’t possible to please everyone. However, numerous complaints with the state bar about an attorney may be an indication of a problem. A client should check with the bar in his or her state to find about any complaints against a prospective attorney.

Personality

As with any other professional relationship, a person should choose an attorney that he or she is comfortable working with on a regular basis. An attorney and client who clash personally are unlikely to work well together and obtain a favorable ruling for the client. An attorney should be open to discussing the case, should listen to the client’s story and take the time to answer any questions that the client may have about the case.

License Recovery

Almost all DUI convictions will result in a suspended driver’s license. However, a competent lawyer will be able to assist a client in recovering his or her license. To do this, a person convicted of a drunk driving offense will likely need to obtain SR-22 insurance before getting a new license. This insurance is a form of auto insurance for high risk drivers that includes a direct reporting to the state about the validity of the insurance. An experienced lawyer will be able to help a client obtain the proper SR-22 coverage and assist the client through the licensing process.

By carefully considering the choice of lawyer to represent a person’s interests who has been charged with a DUI, a person will be able to minimize the impact the arrest will have on his or her life. This will help him or her to learn from the mistake of drunk driving without being unduly punished as a result of not having an effective legal defense to protect his or her rights.

Accidents happen every day. A car accident can come out of nowhere when someone doesn’t pay attention. A slip is just one misstep away, especially in icy conditions. Injuries happen all the time.

If you have been injured in an accident, you may want to consider hiring a personal injury attorney to pursue a claim on your behalf. However, before you hire the first one you find, you may want to consider the following:
First, How did the accident happen?

If an auto accident occurs in broad daylight, with ten witnesses and they all report that driver A ran into driver B, who was at a complete and legal stop at a stop sign, then there aren’t any real questions. But most accidents are not that straightforward. While these circumstances shouldn’t govern whether or not you think you have a case, you should consider all of the facts as you remember them.
Second, think about your injuries

Before hiring an attorney, you will want to have an idea of how you were injured and what was injured. A visit to the emergency room or the doctor soon after the accident can easily answer this question.
Third, consider who you hire

There are attorneys of all shapes, sizes and abilities out there. How can you make sure you hire the best? Personal references are always a great way to start. Was a friend or co-worker injured recently? Did an attorney help them? Find out who they recommend, as well as who they don’t. Meet with several attorneys, and go with the one that you feel most comfortable with.
Fourth, think about whether you caused any part of your injuries

Once a claim is made, the other party will likely point to all of the reasons why it is not their fault. Be prepared for it, and alert your attorney to these facts. Did you slip and fall on the stairs at home the same day you slipped and fell at a store? Or did you just walk very quickly through a freshly mopped floor, ignoring the “Caution” sign posted? You may still have a claim for your injuries in both scenarios, but your attorney should be aware of any important facts.
Fifth, can the other party pay for your injuries?

Obtaining a judgment for injuries is often easier than collecting it. Before hiring counsel, pull together any information you have about the other party or parties. What are their names? Do they have insurance? This can be vital in assisting your attorney when pursuing your claim.

Hiring an attorney to pursue your injuries is an important decision. Take care to document your accident, the other parties and your injuries so you can provide this information to your attorney.

When you are struggling with debt, it is not uncommon to turn to a professional to help you manage the problem. Many people look into debt settlement companies or debt restructuring organizations for help. While these types of businesses can provide some help with your debt, you may be better off financially having legal assistance.

Using an attorney for your debt issues has many benefits that cannot be obtained when using other forms of debt restructuring. An attorney can negotiate your debts just like a consolidation company, but they can also provide you with additional services.

Benefits To Using Legal Assistance For Debt Issues

• Legal Knowledge. Your attorney understands debt and contract law. They can easily work with your creditors to reduce and consolidate your debt within the terms of your contract. Additionally, since your attorney understands these laws very well, they may also be able to use the terms of your contract for credit to your advantage. Most people do not stop and read these terms and they can contain important information about repaying your debts.
• Negotiation. Lawyers are trained negotiators. This skill can benefit you when it comes to reducing your debt burden. Your attorney may be able to have fees and other charges removed from your debt as well as having interest rates dropped or stopped. Each of these benefits will greatly reduce your debt.
• Cease and Desist. Your legal representative ill have the authority to make debt collectors cease and desist all collection efforts while they are in the negotiation process. This will help give you a little relief as you put your financial life back together.
• Credit Reporting. As part of the repayment plan, your attorney can require the creditor to sign a contract stating that they will report the debt as paid in full when it is paid off. Many creditors “forget” to do this, leaving you with a tainted credit report. By requiring these companies to post your account in this manner, your credit score will not suffer the same impact as a bad debt. Improving your credit score will be very important once you have repaid your debts so that you are not facing future financial problems and can reestablish credit.
• Bankruptcy Option. If your financial situation is one where the only option is bankruptcy, your attorney will be able to prepare this type of case for you also. Most attorneys, however, are often able to avoid this option through negotiations with the creditors.
• Future Financial Planning. Once your debts are under control, your attorney can help you establish trusts and other legal documents to protect your assets in the future. This is very beneficial to your financial security. This type of service is only available form an attorney.

If you are facing financial hardships and are not sure where to turn, take the time to investigate a law firm or attorney that specializes in this type of practice. You will be amazed at the help that they can provide and their services are very similar in price to consolidation or restructuring companies. The benefits will help you regain control of your debts and create a bright financial future.

Though it might be considered by some to be an inconvenience, the ability of the law to change is actually an intelligent part of the design of any legal system. The best laws are those that can be easily changed or amended to respond to new circumstances or concerns, benefiting a large number of people in the process. Some laws change more than others, though, with nine laws seeing the most frequent revisions of all.

1. Personal Tax Laws

It seems that almost every new tax year brings hundreds of changes to personal tax law, issued by the government in an effort to boost revenue, help the economy, and benefit taxpayers in some unique way. If there’s one change to count on each year, it is certainly personal tax laws and guidelines.

2. Corporate Tax Laws

Like personal tax laws, corporate tax policy is an area of frequent change at both the state level and in Washington, DC. That’s largely because lawmakers are always looking for the right combination of company incentives and revenue-boosting regulations that benefit state and federal budgets.

3. Immigration Policy

In recent times, immigration policy has moved swiftly into an area of frequent change. Whether it’s the debate over a path to citizenship or the financial and personal obligations that new arrivals must follow, this is an area that has frequently adapted to the country’s needs over the past two centuries.

4. Corporate Finance Regulations

From financial reporting regulations to offshore tax policies and more, the government’s interest in regulating corporate behavior tends to wax and wane over time. That means accountants, legal professionals, and executives, must all be aware of the ongoing changes and new ways of doing business. Otherwise, they risk heavy fines and government penalties.

5. Marriage Law

Marriage equality legislation is changing the way people do their taxes and report their finances on a state-by-state basis, and it’s a process that looks to continue apace without sweeping, federal guidelines anytime soon.

6. Distracted Driving Laws

It began with banning in-car phone calls, but distracted driving laws now cover everything from adjusting the stereo to sending a text message or holding a phone up to the ear. These laws change as new public safety concerns arise, and their frequent modification is certain to continue in a high-tech world.

7. Health Insurance Requirements

Corporate and individual health insurance mandates, as well as other requirements for this key benefit, have changed a lot in recent years. Though the pace of change may slow down after the Affordable Care Act’s full implementation in 2014, occasional modifications to this law are bound to be part of corporate and private life.

8. Consumer Finance Regulations

The newly created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is modifying everything from credit card terms to the availability of some investment mechanisms. Fast-paced changes are about to become the norm for this industry, which will be both a benefit and a burden for those in the accounting and legal professions.

9. Bankruptcy Laws

The nature of bankruptcy has changed over time, including the addition of “financial restructuring” options and more. As personal and corporate finance continue to evolve, so, too, will bankruptcy and its legal jargon.

Continuing education courses offer a great way to stay abreast of new government laws, regulations, and other changes that occur on a state or local level. These courses are both affordable and essential, with many professions requiring their professionals to seek continuing education as a way to reduce the risk of broken laws, stiff penalties, and customer frustrations.